First Toyota fuel cell bus rolls into Tokyo

Toyota has delivered the first of its Fuel Cell (FC) buses to the Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that will run on a regular route starting in March, with a second bus delivery that month. The 76-passenger green bus uses two solid polymer electrolyte Toyota Fuel Cell System (TFCS) units cranking out 114 kW each and is the first of an anticipated fleet of 100 such vehicles being deployed in the run up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The FC Bus' fuel cell system was originally developed for Toyota's Mirai fuel cell vehicle (FCV) and has 10 high-pressure tanks holding 600 liters (132 gal) of hydrogen at around 700 bar (690 ATM) of pressure that feed the fuel cell, which, in turn, charge the nickel-metal hydride batteries. These power two electric motors making a combined 226 kW (303 bhp) of power and 670 Nm (494 lb.ft) of torque.

In addition to carry passengers along a Toei route in Tokyo, Toyota says that the bus can provide 235 kWh of electricity to run equipment in the event of a natural disaster. The new bus is also claimed to be more efficient than internal combustion engines, has no carbon dioxide or Substances of Concern (SoC) emissions during operation and complies with non-step standards for easy boarding and exiting by the elderly and young children.